30 April 2025 · Delegated
Isle Of Man Breweries, Stanley Hotel, West Quay, Ramsey, Isle Of Man, IM8 1dw
This application sought registered building consent for the demolition elements associated with a linked planning application at The Stanley Hotel, West Quay, Ramsey. The hotel is a large attached corner property with a mix of external wall finishes including painted render, spar dash, and facing brick under a slate roof. The central planning question was whether the proposed demolition of the rear extension and other minor works would harm the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The officer's report noted that the scope of demolition was relatively limited. The application was permitted on a delegated basis on 30 April 2025.
The application was permitted on a delegated basis. The officer's report identified the key issue as whether the demolition would harm the character and appearance of the Conservation Area, and noted that the extent of demolition was relatively limited, supporting approval.
Environment Policy 39 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016
the proposed development will preserve the character and appearance of the Conservation Area
Environment Policy 39: The general presumption will be in favour of retaining buildings which make a positive contribution to the character or appearance of the Conservation Area. 7.33 Archaeology 7.33.1 Archaeological remains provide irreplaceable evidence of human activity. The Isle of Man's archaeological heritage is the result of human activity over many thousands of years. It is a finite and non-renewable resource and is, in many cases, highly fragile and vulnerable. An understanding and management of the Island's archaeological heritage is essential to ensure it survives in good condition and is not needlessly or thoughtlessly destroyed. It contains irreplaceable information about the history of the Island and is part of our national heritage. Archaeological remains are valuable for their own sake and for their role in education and tourism. As a signatory to the Valetta Convention (The European Convention for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage 1992) the Isle of Man has international obligations in the iden tification, recording, protection, conservation and management of its archaeological heritage.
CA/6 Demolition in Conservation Areas
The relevant policy regarding the demolition of fabric within the Conservation Area
POLICY CA/6 DEMOLITION Any building which is located within a conservation area and which is not an exception as provided above, may not be demolished without the consent of the Department. In practice, a planning application for consent to demolish must be lodged with the Department. When considering an application for demolition of a building in a conservation area, the general presumption will be in favour of retaining buildings which make a positive contribution to the character or appearance of the conservation area. Similar criteria will be applied as those outlined in RB/6 above, when assessing the application to demolish the building, but in less clear cut cases, for example, where a building could be said to detract from the special character of the area, it will be essential for the Department to be able to consider the merits of any proposed new development when determining whether consent should be given for the demolition of an unregistered building in a conservation area. Account will be taken of the part played in the architectural or historic interest of the area by the building for which demolition is proposed, and in particular of the wider effects of demolition on the building's surroundings and on the conservation area as a whole. ADVERTISEMENT CONTROL All external advertisements affect not only the appearance of the building upon which they are displayed, but also the neighbourhood where the building is located. This will apply particularly to illuminated signage which is often formed from shiny, nontraditional materials and can result in an unsuitable and harsh appearance which detracts from the character of the building and a conservation area as a whole. The aesthetic quality of a building can be markedly affected by the installation of inappropriate external signage. Where matters such as Corporate Image are a consideration; for a conservation area the Department may require a deviation from what might be acceptable in other high street locations and many large corporate bodies do have alternative designs of signage which might be suitable for use in conservation areas. In many cases it will be necessary for signage to adopt traditional design and materials, in keeping with the character of the building and neighbourhood as a whole. Externally illuminated signage with the appropriate detailing and colour rendered lamps, may be judged suitable. ABSENCE OF PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT Permitted Development Orders which apply elsewhere and enable minor development to be carried out in particular circumstances, may apply in designated Conservation Areas, but to a more limited extent. Most proposed development and any proposed demolition will require to have first been granted planning approval before any works may be progressed. If in any doubt, property owners are advised to consult the Department direct, rather than to rely upon the advice of a third party. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Work which might be considered as preserving the architectural or historic interest of an individual building, or which might be judged as enhancing the special character of a Conservation Area, historic townscape or the Island's rural landscape, may qualify for financial assistance under one of the schemes which the Department operates. Each case will be judged upon its own particular merits. DEMOLITION Under Section 19 of the Act, conservation area designation introduces control over the demolition of most buildings within conservation areas. Those buildings which are exempted from such control are listed in the said Section 19, but may be summarised as follows:- (a) registered buildings; (b) a building for the time being the subj ect of a preservation order under section 11 of the Manx Museum and National Trust Act 1959, (c) a building for the time being included in the list of monuments prepared under section 13 of that Act; or (d) any buildings, a description of which is specified in a direction issued by the Department under Section 19 subsection (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999, which are by virtue of such direction, are excluded for the time being from an order designating a conservation area. IMPACT ON THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT OF TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IMPACT OF PROPOSALS TO BE MINIMISED Major new transport infrastructure development can have an especially wide-ranging impact on the historic environment, not just visually and physically, but indirectly, for example by altering patterns of movement or commerce and generating new development pressures or opportunities in historic areas. There is already in place an informal framework which allows for early dialogue between the Department of Transport, the Local Authority and the Department and it is essential that such consultation should continue to take place where any changes in such infrastructure are propose
